If you have 24 hours or less in São Paulo, you're best off spending your time in the Jardins district, a beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood of posh stores (many of them children's boutiques) and good restaurants. It lacks the energy found in other parts of the city, but if you're only in São Paulo for a day (with kids), you'll probably want to avoid the grittier aspects anyway. All the places listed here are in Jardins, within walking distance of the Fasano hotel.
Stay
Fasano
This 64-room hotel pays homage to the glamour of the '20s and '30s, with an understated deco style that infuses every detail. A four-to-one staff-to-guest ratio guarantees you'll never be waiting long for room service—or anything else—and even the double suites are spacious enough for a family of three or four to spread out in. From $450 a night for a standard suite. Rue Vittorio Fasano 88, (55) 11-3896-4077.
Shop
Rua Oscar Freire
As good for people watching as it is for handbag shopping, this narrow boulevard is São Paulo's answer to Fifth Avenue, featuring international luxury stores (Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and the like) interspersed with edgy fashion boutiques like Clube Chocolate.
MonneThis store offers a chic selection of both modern and traditional children's clothing. Rua Dr. Melo Alves 357, (55) 11-3081-0864.
Best BabyIt's stocked with fantastic low-tech items for kids and babies, from simple wooden toys to princess costumes you won't find at Toys 'R' Us. Rua Dr. Melo Alves 413, (55) 11-3083-6444.
Relax
Nick Name
This kids' spa is perfect for pampering jet-lagged little ones while giving you some downtime. The friendly English-speaking staff give massages, shampoos, and haircuts to children as young as 1. There's a dollhouse and ride-on cars to entertain kids while they wait, and a lounge area with magazines and cappuccino for parents. Rua Dr. Melo Alves 397, (55) 11-3063-2993.
Eat
Figueira Rubaiyat
To sample the best of Brazilian cuisine in one sitting, head to this lovely restaurant, which offers a buffet and an à la carte menu of fresh-from-the-farm meat and poultry dishes, as well as national specialties like feijoada (a hearty bean stew). Choose a seat in the outdoor courtyard, which is shaded by a giant fig tree and draws a lively crowd (read: no one will notice rowdy kids). Rue Haddock Lobo 1738, (55) 11 3063-3888.
Nonno RuggeroThis restaurant on Fasano's first floor serves up southern Italian cuisine similar to that found in the hotel's grand, formal flagship restaurant, but in a cozier, more kid-friendly, trattoria-like environment. Rue Vittorio Fasano 88, (55) 11-3896-4077.
